Counter-carrier for voting-machines.



G. O. ABBOTT. COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913.

Patented Dec.23,1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1m m I BY A TTURl/EY G. G. ABBOTT. COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. e, 1913. 1 Patented D88. 23, 1913. a snnmksnnm 2.

65 5 5 I n9 n9 H7 H5 57 Sfi WITNESSES: nwm ran mhw ,5 6M QM 33 4 rrbm'r C. G. ABBOTT. COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913.

Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ei 5k IE. QSQS /1 TTOR/VEY coLumnm PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c,

C. C. ABBOTT.

COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6, 1913. Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES: INVE/VTUR A TTOR/VEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON. n. c.

O. O. ABBOTT.

COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1913.

7 1,082,061 Patented D6923, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I II

IIIIIMuJ T 0 IlIIIIIIII/IIII I/I[III/(IQ a... f 2

G. G. ABBOTT. COUNTER CARRIER FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 8, 1913.

' Patented Dec. 23, 1913.

WITNESSES: IN l/EN T 0/? A TTORNEY I v I l- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. ABBOTT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO TRIUMPH VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COUNTER-CARRIER FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Application filed January 6, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHAnLns G. Annorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve ment in CounterCarriers for Voting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to counting mechanism for voting machines and has for its objects to provide a strong, inexpensive, and generally improved carrier for the counters which will readily permit the counters to be removed at will or to be rearranged in accordance with the voting requirements, and also to provide means whereby the counters may be quickly and conveniently reset after the complete vote has been counted and recorded.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the novel construction which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete counting mechanism, showing the voting members cooperating therewith; Fig. 2

is a horizontal section through the counter carrier and the actuating shafts therefor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view, partly broken away of a portion of one row of voting members, and showing also a portion of one row of counters; Fig. 4 is an enlarged trans verse vertical section through two lines of voting members and through a. corresponding portion of the counter carrier; Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of one of the counters removed; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one of the counter bars, partly broken away to show the interior structure, and showing the parts in their normal position Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the stop bar in locking position, or the position for resetting the counters; Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly broken away, of the parts shown in Fig. 6; Figs. 9 and 10 are a plan and elevation respectively of the holder for an individual counter; Fig. 11 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of one of the counter bars, showing a counter holder in place therein, but with the registering mechanism removed; Fig. 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view through one of the counter bars showing the means for operating the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23,1913.

Serial No. 746,422.

stop bar; Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view on the line 1313, Fig. 12, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. lt is a view of the parts shown at the right end of Fig. 8 with the locking bolt removed; Fig. 15 is a. plan View of the front member of one of the counter bars; Fig. 16 is a detail vertical section of the upper portion of one of the individual counters showing also a part of the counter bar; Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig, 6 showing a modified form of counter bar; Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 8 of the modification shown in Fig. 1?; Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 7 of the modified form; Fig. 20 is an enlarged transverse vertical section through one of the counter bars shown in Figs. 17 to 19; Fig. 21 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the front member of the counter bar employed in the modified construction; Fig. 22 is a detail view of the locking bolt employed in the modified construction; Figs. 23 and 24 are detail views of the parts shown at the rightend of Figs. 17 and 19, showing the key or wrench for unlocking and shifting the front member of the counter bar and illustrating its operation; Fig. 25 is a view of the tool employed in resetting the counters.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, denotes the machine casing inclosing the mechanism, and 31 a framework within the casing, said casing and framework being preferably formed of sheet metal parts riveted together and suitably shaped to provide the necessary supports, guides, and bearings for the various parts of the mechanism, except as hereinafter described.

32 denotes voting member shafts provided outside the casing at the rear with voting keys 33 the rear of the casing constituting the voting face, and the voter going around behind the machine to vote) and inside the casing with counter dogs 34.

denotes a main operating lever located outside the casing at one side and rigidly secured to a main operating shaft 36 which is journaled in a suitable support 37 within the casing.

38 denotes an arm fixed to the shaft 36 and connected by a link 39 with a bracket 40 secured to a main operating bar 41 which is guided for longitudinal reciprocation in the support 37 and in a similar support 42 at the opposite side of the casing.

13 denotes upright counter carrier actuating shafts journaled in the supports 37 and 512 and provided at their lower ends with pinions which are engaged by racks 44 formed on the main operating bar 41.

45 denotes eccentrics fast on the shafts 43 and cooperating with eccentric straps 46 secured to the counter grid or carrier, said counter carrier as a whole being designated by the numeral 4.7.

48 (see Fig. 4) denotes the counters as a. whole, said counters being carried by the counter grid, corresponding in number and arrangement with the voting members, and having operating pins 49 with which the counter dogs 84 cooperate.

xccpt as hereinafter described, the parts thus far referred to, as to their general principles of operation, are all substantially the equivalents of the corresponding parts in prior Letters Patent granted to me as follows: No. 873,401, dated December 10, 1907; No. 914,006, dated March 2, 1909; and No. 999,621, dated August 1, 1911. For the purposes of the present description it will be sufficient to say that the voter lowers the main operating lever, or moves the same downward and toward the left from the position shown in Fig. 1, when he approaches the machine to vote, and raises said lever, or returns it to its original position, when 1e leaves the machine after the voting operation. At each actuation of the main operating lever movement is imparted to the counter grid, the entrance movement being an idle movement. In performing the voting operation the voter turns the voting keys to oscillate the voting member shafts, which places the counter dogs in engagement with the operating pins of the corresponding counters. At the exit movement of the counter grid all counters whose pins have been engaged by counter dogs are operated to register a vote.

The counter grid or carrier 47 comprises vertical end bars 50, to which the eccentric straps 46 are securely bolted or riveted, and horizontal counter carrying bars, designated as a whole by the numeral 51, and which for convenience will hereinafter be referred to merely as counter bars. The counter bars 51 are spaced from and positioned with re spect to the bars 50 by means of brackets 52 (see Figs. 6 and 7) and are secured thereto by bolts 53 which pass through reinforcing plates 54 on the counter bars and lock wa.sh ers 55 on the forward sides of the bars 50.

5S denotes specifically horizontal portions of the framework 31 with respect to which the counter bars 51 are vertically positioned by means of brackets 59, riveted to the framework and adapted to support the bars 51 at their lower sides, if necessary, and guides 60, secured to the bars 51 and adapted to engage the lower surfaces of the frame parts 58 and space said bars therefrom.

The preferred form of the counter bars 51 and counters 48 is shown in Figs. 5 to 16. The counter bars are all substantially alike, and aparticular description of one will suf free for all. Each counter bar is hollow and comprises a back portion or member 56, which is rigidly and permanently secured to the bars 50 as above explained, and a front member or portion 57 which is detachably secured to the member 56 by means hereinafter described. The members 56 and 57 comprise oppositely disposed channel bars having overlapping upper and lower flanges 76 and 7 8, and form between them a casing in which are completely housed the individual counters of counting mechanisms 48.

Each of the counters 48, of which a series is carried by each counter bar, comprises a holder or frame 61, whose form is most clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and in which the moving parts of a registering mechanism are assembled. The specific construction of the registering mechanism of the counters forms no part of the present invention, and may be of any ordinary or preferred form. The only essential features of the registering mechanism are that said mechanism comprise a plurality of number wheels or indicators and that the number registered by said indicators be advanced or increased by one at each complete rotation of the counter actuating member or shaft with respect to the counter holder. As shown particularly in Fig. 5, the registering mechanism of each counter comprises a series of number wheels (32 (herein illustrated as three, namely, an upper or hundreds wheel, an intermediate or tens wheel, and a lower or units wheel.) mounted on a vertical shaft 63 opcratively connected with the counter pins, and a series of carrying wheels or pinions 64 mounted on a fixed vertical pinion shaft 65. The construction and operation of this mechanism, being well known in the art, requires no further explanation. The counter holder 61 preferably comprises a sheet metal blank bent to form upper and lower flanges 66 and. G7, which flanges are provided respectively with openings 72 and 73. Said flanges (30 and 67 are further formed with arms or projections (38 for supporting the pinion shaft (35. The arm 68 on the flange 67 also affords a shoulder or locking surface 69 for a purpose which will presently be explained. The shaft 63 is journaled at its lower end in the opening 73 and at its upper end in a. bushing 70 held in the opening 72 and projecting above the flange 66, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1G. The holder (31 is also preferably provided with a curved flange 71 which partly incloses and protects the piuions 64. I

74 denotes a slot cut in the upper perti'on of the counter holder for a purpose presently to be explained, and 7 5 denotes a similar slot cut in the lower portion of said holder. The slot performs no function whatsoever, but is provided for convenience in manufacture in order that the blank from which the carrier 61 is formed may be bent uniformly and retain its shape.

The counters are supported upon the lower horizontal flange 76 of the counter bar back member 56 and are held in position longitudinally of said bar by means of notches 77 in the upper horizontal flange 7 8 of said back member, which notches receive the upwardly projecting portions of the bushings 7 0 with a closely engaging fit. The upper and lower horizontal flanges 79 and 80, respectively, of the front counter bar member 57, are received between the flanges 76 and 7 8 of the back member 56, as shown most clearly in Fig. 11. The edges of the flanges 79 and engage the flanges 66 and 67 of the counter holders 61 and hold the counters in position transversely of the counter bar, said flange 80 being further provided with projecting lugs 81 which engage the shoulders 69 on the flanges 67 and hold the counters as a whole against rotation in the counter bars.

82 denotes a pin riveted in the flanges 7 6 and 78 of the counter bar back member 56 and extending across between said flanges.

83 denotes hooked lugs projectin from the flanges 79 and 80 of the counter bar front member 57 Longitudinal movement of the member 57 relative to the member causes said hooked lugs to engage or disengage the pins 82, thereby detachably connecting said members 56 and 57.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8 only one pin 82 and one pair of hooked lugs 83 is shown, these being located at the extreme right end of the counter bar. If found desirable, however, additional pins 82 may be provided intermediate the ends of the bars, certain of the lugs 81 being formed hooked to cooperate therewith, and additional hooked lugs being formed on the upper flange 79. In the of a long counter bar, a pin 82 and a pair of hooked lugs 83 will preferably be provided for about every five counters. The members 56 and 57 are held against relative long'tudinal movement, and consequently against disconnection, by means of a removable headed pin 8-1 which passes through openings in the flanges 7 6 and 78 and through corresponding openings in ears 85 projecting from the ends of the flanges 7 9 and 80.

The pin 84: is normally held against removal by the horizontal frame member 58, which lies immediately above it, said frame member, however, being formed with an opening 86 through which said pin 8st may be removed when the counter grid is in a predetermined position, in the present instance its position nearest the voting face of the machine.

The counter bar front member 57 is provided with openings 87 corresponding in number and arrangement to the counters, and through which the figures on the number wheels may be observed.

88 denotes a strip of transparent material, such as celluloid, which is placed over the openings 87 on the inside of the bar.

89 denotes a window strip located within the strip 88 and provided with a plurality of series of openings 90, there being a series corresponding to each opening 87, and a number of openings 90 in each series equal to the number of the number wheels of each counter herein shown as three.

The vertical portion of the front member 57 he transparent strip 88, and the window strip 89 are all permanently secured together by rivets 91.

92 denotes a stop bar located between the vertical portion of the back member 56 and the counter carriers 61, and provided with stop lugs which are received and guided in the slots 7' 1 in the counter carriers.

9% denotes sliding plates guided for movement longitudinally of the counter bar between the flanges 76 and 78 of the back mem- 56. l referably two plates 9st are provided for each bar 92, said plates and bar being riveted together to form a unitary structure. The plates 9st are formed with registering, vertically elongated slots 95 Fig. and are provided with a stud 96 riveted therein and projecting for vardly therefrom.

97 (see Fig. 7) denotes a cam mounted to turn in an opening in right portion of the back member 56, and having an eccentric portion 98 (see Figs. 12 and 14) cooperating witl the slots 95 in the plates 9%. The cam member 97 is provided with a central opening 99 extending therethrough and is formed at its rear end with arms 100 rsliich are riveted in a non-circular opening or slot 101 in a washer 102 lying outside the counter bar.

103 (see 1) denotes an opening in the iront member 57 through which may he inserted a suitable tool or key 10%, 12) having a non-circular end 105 adapted to fit. the openin or slot 101, whereby the cam member 97 may be turned to move the stop bar 92 longitudinally from its normal posi tion shown in Fig. 6 to its locking position hown in Fig. 7 and vice versa.

106 denotes stop lugs on the counter number wheels of the highest order, herein the hundreds wheels. When the stop bar 92 is in the locking position, and the counters are turned backwardly toward zero, the stop lugs 106 will engage the stop lugs 93 when the hundreds wheels reach the position to display the number 0 at the uppermost member the up- &

openings 90, thereby preventing said hundreds wheels from being turned backwardly beyond this point, and also, through the carrying wheels or pinions 0 1-, in a like manner preventing the tens and units wheels from being turned backwardly beyond the points at which the number 0 will appear at each of the openings 90.

The bar 92 is normally locked in the posi tion shown in G by means of a bolt 107 comprising flat metal plate guided for vertical movement in slots in the flanges and 78 of the back member 50. Downward movement of the bolt 107 is limited by engagement of a shoulder 108 formed thereon with the upper surface of the flange 76, as shown in Fig. 8, this being the normal position of said bolt. lVhen in this position said bolt, by engagement with the stud 96, looks the bar 92 against movement toward the left into its locking position.

109 denotes a notch in the edge of the bolt 107 arranged to receive the stud 90 when said bolt is raised from the position shown in Fig. 8, thereby pe fitting movement the bar 92 into its locking position.

110 denotes an opening in the bolt 107, the center of said opening being, when said bolt is .in the position shown in Fig. 8, below the line of centers of the openings 99 and 103 in the cam member 97 and front member 57 respectively.

The key 101 is formed with a pointed end 111 adapted, when said key is inserted for the purpose of operating the bar 92, as above explained, to engage the opening 110 in the bolt 107 and raise said bolt into the unlocking position, thereby permitting operation of the bar 92. ml e belt 107 is normally held .11 against upward movement by engagement of an upward extension 112 thereon with the corresponding horizontal frame member 58, said frame member, however, being formed with an opening 113 arranged to receive the extension 112 when the counter grid is in certain position, hereinafter referred to, thereby permitting upward increment of the belt 107. Entry if the extension 112 into the openin 113, however, serves to lock the counter car r, so that said counter carrier cannot be operated except when the bolt 107 is in a position to lock the stop b. r 02 in its normal position.

The counter pins are carried by ')lates 11 1 which. slide in housings 11? secured to disks 110 carried by the upper end of the counter shafts G3, and said pins 4-0 also extend through angular openings in the hori- Zontal frame member. :38, all as more fully (lescribed Patent No. 090,621

above referred Normally the pins 19 lie in the angles of the recesses 117, as shown in Fig. 3, a i are held thereby movement with respect to the counter bars. lVhen the counter carrier is actuated by the mam operating mechanism, when the voter leaves the machine, each counter whose pin 41-9 is engaged by a counter dog 3-1- is caused to make a complete bodily rotation about said pin. All counter pins 49, how ver, which are not engaged and held by counter dogs, more with their counters in the openings 117.

It will be seen that, with the parts in normal position, and the pins 49 held in the angles of the openings 117, the counter shafts cannot be turned to reset the counters. If, however, the main operating mechanism be operated a sutlicient amount to carry the pins 19 a considerable distance away from the angles of the openings .117, the counter shafts may be freely turned to reset the counters, the counter pins at this time traveling in substantially circular paths in the openings 117. To effect this result, the main operating mechanism preferably operated through about one-half its complete range of movement, thereby bringing the axes of the counter shafts substantially to the centers of the openings 117. This is the point in the o cle of operation of the main operating mechanism at which the eXtensiOns 112 of the bolts 107 are brought into register with the openings 113 in the frame memb [r 58. In order that the main operating mechanism may conveniently be operated the exact amount neressarv to bring the partsinto the position above re ferred to, the main operating bar 11 is pro rided vith an opening 118 (see Fig. 1) into which rod, screw driver, or other tool may be inserted, and which tool will be brought into ei'igagement with the end of the support 37 who the parts have been brought into the desired position, thereby limiting the movement of the main opera ting mecha nisn. The pins St are similarly brought into register with openings 80 in the frame members by causing the counter grid to be moved to its position nearest the voting face of the machine, when said pins may be removed, as previously explained.

113 denotes 1.1011 wheels carried by the counter shafts 03 bet ween the upper surfaces of the counter bars and he disks 110. Said friction wheels are p i c? erably provided with angular grooves 2 dan t d to be engaged res tting tool such as is shown in 2o. This resetting tool specifically forms no portion of the present in vention, but con stitutes the subject matter of the separate application filed Jan. 0, 1013, Serial. No. 740,424. For the purposes of the present .cripticn it will. be sullicient to say that resetting tool compri a body per- 120 provided with a handle 1 21 and in h are guided for a limited sliding movea series of friction shoes which ar nornially held in the position shown in v of springs The frice i. ig. 2) by means tron shoes 122 are preferably of a length slightly less than the distance between centers of the counters, longitudinally of the counter bars, and are provided with beveled edges adapted to fit the grooves in the friction wheels 119.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: After the votes have all been cast, the counters read, and the re sult recorded, and it is desired to reset the counters for another election, the first operation is to insert a suitable implement into the opening 118 in the main operating bar 41, and to lower the main operating lever 35 until said implement is brought into engagement with the end of the support 37, thereby stopping the movement of the main operating bar. This brings the extensions 112 of the bolts 107 into register with the openings 118 in the frame members 58. The key 104 is thereupon inserted into the opening 108 of one of the counter bars. The first effect of such insertion is to cause the end 111 of said key to engage the opening 110 in the bolt 107, thereby lifting said bolt. This causes the extension 112 to enter the opening 113, thereby locking the main operating mechanism and counter carrier against further operation until said bolt is returned to its normal position, and also causes the notch 109 to be brought opposite the stud 96, thereby unlocking the stop bar 92. Further insertion of the key 104 causes the portion 105 thereof to engage the slot 101 in the Washer 102, whereupon said key is turned to turn the cam member 97 and move the stop bar 92 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 7. The resetting tool shown in Fig. 25 is thereupon placed with the edges of the friction shoes 122 in engagement with the grooves in the friction wheels 119 of the counters and moved longitudinally of the counter bar toward the left as shown in the drawings. This causes the counter shafts of the line of counters so engaged to be simultaneously turned in the direction..t0 cause the counters to be reset. This operation of the resetting tool is repeated until all of the number wheels of all of the counters carried by the bar in question register zero. It will be understood that as each counter reaches the Zero position the stop lug 106 carried by the hundreds wheel thereof is brought into engagement with the corresponding stop lug 93 on the stop bar 92 and held thereby against further retrograde movement, as above explained. Further operation of the resetting tool, in order to reset the other counters on the same bar, merely causes the friction shoes to slip idly over the friction wheel of a fully reset counter. After all of the counters of one of the counter bars have been fully reset, the key 104 is turned to restore the stop bar 92 to its normal position and removed to permit the bolt 107 to return to the position shown in Fig. 8. It will be observed that unless the stop bar 92 is returned to its normal position before the removal of the key, the engagement of the stud 96 with the notch 109 will prevent the return of the bolt 107, so that the counter carrier will still be locked against operation. After the counters carried by one counter bar have been reset the foregoing operations are repeated with respect to the other counter bars until all of the counters of the machine have been reset.

If it be desired to remove or rearrange the counters the main operating mechanism is operated as previously described, to carry the counter grid to its position nearest the voting face of the machine, thereby bringing the pins 84 into register with the openings 86 in the frame members 58. Removal of a pin 84 permits the corresponding counter bar front. member 57 to be moved longitudinally, thereby releasing the hooked lugs 83 from the pins 82 and permitting the removal of said front member. This releases the counter holders, which are held in position transversely of the counter bar only by engagement of the flanges 79 and 80 with the flanges 06 and 67, permitting the bushings to be disengaged from the slots 77 and the counters to be removed at will.

A modification of the foregoing construction is illustrated in Figs. 17 to 24. In said figures, 124 denotes the back member of the counter bar which is secured to the vertical counter grid bars 50 by brackets 52 and bolts 53 in the same manner as the corresponding member in the form of the invention first described. Said back member 124 is provided with upper and lower flanges 125 and 126, respectively, which overlap and inclose between them the upper and lower flanges 127 and 128 of the front member 129. The member 129 is provided with openings 87 and has riveted thereto a transparent strip 88 and a window strip 89 exactly similar to the corresponding parts in the form of the invention first described. The counter bar members 124 and 129 are held together by means of pins 130 extending across between the flanges 125 and 126 and riveted thereto, which pins engage angular slots 131 in the flanges 127 and 128. Disconnection of the front and back members of the counter bar is effected by relative longitudinal movement thereof to disengage the pins 130 from the slots 181. In this form of the invention, however, disconnection of the counter bar members is prevented, except when the counter bars are removed from the machine, by engagement of the ends of the members 129 with the corresponding brackets 52, which prevents sufiicient longitudinal movement of the member 129 to free the pins 130 from the slots 131 (see Fig. 19). In this form of the invention the counter holders are dispensed with, the counter shafts (33 and pinion shafts 5 being supported directly in the flanges 127 and 128 of the front member 129. Also, in this form of the invention, the stop bar 1352, which is provided with stop lugs 133, is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the back member 121, the relative in vement of the stop bar and counters nec essary to cause the stop lugs 133 to be engaged by the stop lugs 106 on the number wheels being effected by shifting the front member 129 longitudinally. To this end the following means are provided: denotes a bracket riveted to the bracket 52 and provided with an opening 135 in alinement with an opening in the vertical portion of the back member 1214-. 137 denotes reinforcing plates riveted to the vertical portion of the front member 129, said plates and member being collectively provided with a vertically elongated slot 138. 139 denotes a bolt arranged to slide vertically in slots in the flanges 125 and 1'26, said bolt, when in its normal position, shown in Fig. 18, engaging the flange 127 and locking the members 12-11 and 129 against relative longitudinal movement. The flanges 127 and 128 are notched and slotted at their ends, as shown in Figs. 17 and 19 to afford space for the bolt, said bolt engaging the end 1 17 of the slot in the flange 127 which forms a locking shoulder cooperating with the bolt. Said bolt is provided with a notch 1 10 adapted, when said bolt is raised, to receive the shoulder 147 and permit relative longitudinal movement of the counter bar members. The bolt 13 is further provided with an opening 14:1 which, when said bolt is in normal position, lies with its center slightly below the line of centers of the openings 135 and 136, as shown in Fig. 18.

The adjustment of the counter bar last described for the purpose of resetting the counters is effected by means of a wrench or key 1 12 shown in 23 and 24. The essential features of this wrench or key are alined cylindrical portions 1 13 and 14-1. 9 eccentric portion 1-1-5, and. a tapered end 1 1-6. Said wrench or key is inserted through the opening 135 in the bracket 134, the cylindrical portion 1 1- 1 thereof occupying and fitting said opening 133, while the portion 143 thereof enters and fits the opening 136 in the back member 12-1. Passage of the tapered end 1 16 through the opening 141 in the bolt 139 causes said bolt to be raised, th reby unlocking the front member 1 9 by bringin the notch 140 into alinement with the shoulder 1 17. The operation of the bolt 139 is in other respects similar to the operation of the bolt 107, heretofore described. The wrench or key 11-2 is thereupon turned in the open.- ings and 136 from the position shown in Fig. 23 to that shown in Fi 21, causing the eccentric portion 115 thereof which lies in the slot 138 to move the frontmember 12) toward the right, and bringing the counters, which are carried by said front member, into the position in which the stop lugs 106 on the stop bar will engage the stop lugs 133 on the number wheels. The operation of resetting the counters is otherwise exactly like that performed in connection with the form of the invention first described and need not be again described in detail.

In Fig. 1 there are shown three counter bars carrying siX counters each. the counters of the upper bar cooperating with a line of question voting members and the counters of the two lower bars cooperating with two party lines of candidate voting men'ibcrs. It will be understood, however, that the arrangement of the voting members, the number and length of the counter bars. and the number of counters carried by each bar are wholly immaterial and may be varied in accordance with the requirements.

The front members of the counter bars are preferably provided, adjacent the openings 87 through which the counters are read, with characters or symbols by which the several counters may be identified, such characters or symbols being indicated in Figs. 1, S and 18. In the case of the counters which cooperate with the candidate voting members. all of the counters on each bar are preferably designated by the same letter, the individual counters being designated by different numbers, which, hovever, are the same for the corresponding counters on theseveral bars. This system of identification may, however, be varied in accordance with convenience.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with counters, of a. counter carrier having hollow counter bars each comprising a plurality of detachably connected members between which said counters are a-emovably received; and retained in position.

2. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each comprising a back member provided with a fixed pin, a front member having hooks engaging said pin. said members being relatively loi'igitudinallv movable to engage and disengage said hooks and pin, and a removable pin for holding said members against relative longitudinal movement.

3. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each coi'nprising a back member, a front member, means separable by relative longitudinal movement of said members for securing the same together, and removable means for holding said members against relative longitudinal movement.

The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars forming casings in which said counters are housed, each of said counter bars comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges, a fixed pin secured in the flanges of one of said members, hooked lugs on the flanges of the other of said members for engaging said pin, and a removable pin for securing the flanges of both of said members together.

The combination with counters and a counter carrier having counter bars each comprising a back member, a front member, means separable by relative longitudinal movement of said members for securing the same together, and a removable pin for holding said members against relative longitudinal movement, of a frame member normally holding said pin against removal and having an opening through which said pin may be removed when said counter car rier is in a certain position.

6. The combination with counters and a counter carrier having counter bars each comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges, a fixed pin secured in the flanges of one of said members, hooked lugs formed on the flanges of the other of said members for engaging said pin, and a removable pin for securing the flanges of both of said members together, of a frame member normally holding said last named pin against removal and having an opening through which said pin may be removed when said carrier is in a certain posit-ion.

7 The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars in which said counters are removably received, each of said bars comprising a back member, a front member and means for detachably securing said members together, said members being provided with means to engage said counters and hold the same in place.

8. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars in which said counters are removably received, each of said bars comprising a back member provided with means for holding said counters in place transversely of said bar and for holding said counters against turning in said bar, and means for detachably securing said members together.

9. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars forming casings in which said counters are hcusee, each of said counter bars comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges adapted to engage said counters and hold the same in place, one of said flanges having lugs adapted to engage said counters and hold the same against turning in said bar.

10. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars in which said counters are removably received, each of said bars comprising a front member and a back member provided with means for holding said counters in place longitudinally of said bar, and means for detachably securing said members together.

11. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars forming casings in which said counters are completely housed, each of said bars comprising a back member provided with means for holding said counters in place longitu dinally of said bar and a front member provided with means for holding said counters in place tr nsversely of said bar and for holding said counters against turning in said bar.

12. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars forming casings in which said counters are housed, each of said counter bars comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges, one of said flanges having notches in which portions of said counters are received.

13. The combination with counters, of acounter carrier having hollow counter bars forming casings in which said counters are housed, each of said counter bars comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges, one of the flanges of one of said members having notches in which port-ions of said counters are received, and one of the flanges of the other of said men'ibers having lugs arranged to engage said counters and hold the same against turning in said bar.

let. The oo-moination with counters, of a counter carrier having hollow counter bars within which said counters are located, each of said bars having openings through which said counters may be read, strips of transparent material within said bars and covering said openings, and window strips within said transparent strips.

15. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each comprising a plurality of detachably connected members bet-ween which said counters are removably received and retained in position, and a stop bar provided with means tor engaging said counters to limit the operation thereof.

16. ihe combination with counters comprising number wheels and permanently conncctcu carrying wheels, of a counter carrier having counter bars in which said counters are immovably retained and each comprising a member movable with respect to said counters and provided 'ith me; n. tor limiting the operation of said number wheels.

17. The combination with counters comprising number wheels and permanently connected carrying wheels, of a counter carrier having counter bars in which said counters are immovably retained and each comprising a member movable with respect to said counters and provided with means for limiting the operation of said number wheels, and means for locking said movable member, said loclti means being provided with means for engagement by a key to unlock said movable membei.

The combination wit-h counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each having an opening and each comprising a movable member provided with means iorlimiting the operation of said counters, and a bolt for locking said movable member, said bolt having ail opening cccentrically positioned with respect to the opening in the bar when said bolt is in locking position.

19. The combination with counters, of counter carrier having counter bars each com pri ing movable member provided with locking means and with means for limiting the operation of said counters, and a bolt engaging said locking means and having a notch arranged to receive said locking means when said bolt is moved to unlocking position.

20. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each having an opening and each comprising a movable member provided with locking means and with means for limiting the operation of said counters, and a bolt enga ing said locking means and having a notch arranged to receive said locking means when said bolt i: moved to unlocking position, and said bolt having also an opening eccentrically positioned with respect to the opening in the bar when said bolt is in looking p, sition.

comb ion with counters, of a counter carrier haiing counter bars each comprising movable member provided with means lin'nting the operation of said c an ters, means for locking said movable member, and means preventing operation of said locking means to unlock d movable ment ber except when said carrier is in a certain position.

The combination with counters and a counter carrier having coun er bars each comprising a movable member provided with neans for limiting the operation of said counters and a bolt for locking said movable member, of a frame member normally holding said be); against operation to unlock said movable member and having an opening adapted to receive said bolt when said counter carrier is in a certain position, thereby unlocking said movable member and locking said counter carrier a gainst tion.

H he combination with counters, ot'

carrier having counter bars each comprising a member movable into a position to be engaged by said counters and limit the operation thereof, and means to prevent operation of said counter carrier when said member is in engaging position.

i l. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars each comprising a member movable into a position to be engaged by said counters and limit the operation thereof, means for loclc ing said movable member, and means preventing operation of said locking means to unlock said movable member except when said carrier is in a predetermined position, said last named means cooperating with said locking means to prevent operation of said counter carrier when said member is unlocked.

The combination with counters, of a counter carrier havin counter bars each comprising a member movable into a position to be engaged by said counters and limit the operation thereof, means for loching the counter carrier, and means to hold said locking means in locking position when said member is in engaging position.

26. The combination with counters and main operating mechanism, of a counter arrier operated by said main operating mechanism and having counter bars each comprising a movable member provided with means for limiting the operation of said counters, means for locking said movable member, and means preventing opera tion of said locking means to unlock said movable member except when said main ope ating mechanism is in a certain posi tion, said main operating mechanism being provided with means whereby the same may be positioned for the operation of said locking means.

27. The combination with counters, main operating mechanism, and a counter carrier operated by said main operating mechanism nd having counter bars each comprising a ack member, a front member, and means E r detachably securing said members together, of means for preventing disconnection of said members except when said main operating mechanism is in a certain position, said main operating mechanism being provided with means whereby the same may be positioned for the disconnection of said members.

28. The combination with counters, main operating mechanism con'iprising a main operating bar, and guides for said bar, of a counter carrier operated by said main operating mechanism and havin counter bars each comprising a member provided with means for limiting the operation of said counters, said member being movable to bring said limiting means into operative position when d main operating mechanism is in a certain position, and said main operating bar being provided with an opening adapted to receive an implement to engage one of said guides and position said main operating mechanism.

29. The combination with counters each comprising a plurality of number wheels, a stop carried by the number wheel of the highest order, and a plurality of carrying wheels permanently connected with said number wheels, of a counter carrier having counter bars in which said counters are immovably retained, each of said bars comprising a movable stop bar provided with means engaged by said stops to limit the operation of said number wheels. v

30. The combination with counters comprising number wheels and permanently connected carrying wheels, of a counter carrier having counter bars in which said counters are immovably retained, and longitudinally sliding stop bars carried by said counter bars and each having projecting lugs which are engaged by said number wheels to limit the operation thereof when said stop bars are in operative position.

31. The combination with counters each comprising a plurality of number wheels, a stop carried by the number wheel of the highest order, and a plurality of carrying wheels permanently connected with said number wheels, of a counter carrier having counter bars in which said counters are immovably retained, and longitudinally sliding stop bars carried by said counter bars and each having projecting lugs which are engaged by said stops to limit the operation of said number wheels when said stop bars are in operative position.

32. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars, movable stop bars carried by said counter bars and provided with means for limiting the operation of said counters, and cam members carried by said counter bars for moving said stop bars.

' 33. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars, movable stop bars carried by said counter bars and provided with means for limiting the operation of said counters, and cam members carried by said counter bars for moving said stop bars, said cam members being provided with means for engagement by a key to operate the same.

34;. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars, and longitudinally sliding stop bars carried by said counter bars, each of said stop bars having projecting lugs which are engaged by said counters to limit the operation thereof when said stop bars are in operative position, and cam members carried by said counter bars for moving said stop bars.

35. The combination with counters, of a counter carrier having counter bars, longitudinally sliding stop bars carried by said counter bars and provided with means for limiting the operation of said counters, said stop bars having slots, and eccentrics journaled in said counter bars and engaging the slots in said stop bars, said eccentrics being provided with means for engagement by a key to turn the same.

36. The combination with a counter carrier, of a plurality of separate and independent counters each comprising a plurality of number wheels and a plurality of carrying wheels permanently engaging said number wheels and each provided with independent means for engagement by a resetting tool.

37. The combination with a counter carrier having a plurality of counter bars, of a plurality of separate counters independently carried by each of said bars, said counters each comprising a counter shaft, number wheels mounted on said shaft, a friction wheel secured to the end of said shaft, a pinion shaft, and carrying wheels mounted on said pinion shaft and permanently engaging said number wheels.

38. The combination with counters each comprising a counter shaft, number wheels mounted on said shaft, a stop carried by the number wheel of the highest order, and a friction wheel secured to said shaft, of a counter carrier having counter bars, each of said bars comprising a movable member provided with means engaged by said stops to limit the operation of said number wheels.

39. The combination with a counter carrier. having hollow counter bars each comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges and one of said flanges having notches, of counters housed in said counter bars and each comprising a holder, a bushing carried by said holder and engaging one of said notches, a shaft journaled in said bushing, and number wheels mounted on said shaft.

40. The combination with a counter carrier having hollow counter bars each comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges and one of said flanges having notches, of counters housed in said counter bars and each comprising holder, a bushing carried by said holder and engaging one of said notches, a shaft journaled in said bushing, number wheels mounted on said shaft within the counter bar, and a friction wheel secured to said shaft outside the counter bar.

41. The combination with a counter carrier having hollow counter bars each comprising oppositely disposed channel members having overlapping flanges and one of said flanges having lugs, of counters housed in said counter bars and each comprising a holder having a shoulder engaged by one of said lugs, and registering mechanism mounted in said holder.

42. The combination with a counter'carrier having hollow counter bars each com-' rier having counter bars and'long'itudinally sllding stop barscarried by -sa1d counter bars, each of 'saidstop bars having projectinglugs; of counters each comprising a holder-having a slot to receive one of said -lugs,- a shaft journaled in said holder, a plurality of number Wheels on said shaft, the ;number wheel of the highest order having a stop cooperating with said lug, a second :shaft mounted in said holder, and a plurality of carrying Wheels On said last named shaft and permanently connected with said number wheels. Y

Intestimonywvhereof I afiix my-signature 'inpresence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES C. ABBOTT. WVitnesses:

ANNA F. DOWNS, MARTIN P. KERNAHAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addr'essing the Gommissioner'of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

